Hardware accelerated data frame forwarding

• US 8,571,408 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2010
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Armstrong, William J., Basso, Claude, Cors, Josep, Eisenhauer, Daniel G., Fuente, Carlos F., Lucke, Kyle A., Vojnovich, Theodore B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMBAYE, MEWALE A
• Application Number:
  US12/765,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20110262134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 370/389, 709/230, 709/217, 398/45
• US Class Current: 398/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3009 Header conversion, routing tables or routing tags
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/357 Fibre channel switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/602 Multilayer or multiprotocol switching, e.g. IP switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/70 Virtual switches

Abstract

Systems and methods to forward data frames are described. A particular method may include evaluating header data of a data frame at a bridge element, where the header data includes address data that corresponds to a Fiber Channel Forwarder in communication with the bridge element. Based upon the evaluation, the header data of the data frame may be modified at the bridge element in such a manner that the data frame is not routed through the Fiber Channel Forwarder.

Claims

1. A method of forwarding a data frame, the method comprising:

using a Fiber Channel Forwarder to program a bridge element of a plurality of bridge elements of a distributed virtual bridge to recognize address data corresponding to the Fiber Channel Forwarder, wherein the bridge element is configured to encapsulate and de-encapsulate data frame data, wherein the bridge element is coupled to an integrated switch router and a local rack interconnect network, wherein the integrated switch router facilitates routing and packet delivery to and from the local rack interconnect network, and wherein the local rack interconnect network includes point-to-point connections between the plurality of bridge elements;

evaluating header data of a Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame at the bridge element to determine whether the header data is addressed to the Fiber Channel Forwarder, wherein evaluating the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame includes evaluating whether the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame includes the address data corresponding to the Fiber Channel Forwarder from the programming by the Fiber Channel Forwarder;

in response to determining that the header data is addressed to the Fiber Channel Forwarder, modifying the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame at the bridge element to give an appearance that the Fiber Channel Forwarder is sending the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to a target computing node; and

forwarding the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame from the bridge element to the target computing node without forwarding the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to the Fiber Channel Forwarder.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying that a destination identifier of the header data is included within the address data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the header data further comprises reassigning at least a part of a first address of a destination field of the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to a source address field of the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the header data further comprises reassigning at least a part of a first address of a source field of the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to a destination address field of the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising combining the at least part of the first address with a destination identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the address data from the Fiber Channel Forwarder at the bridge element.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame at the bridge element.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising evaluating header data of another Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame, and based upon the evaluation, forwarding the other Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to the Fiber Channel Forwarder.

18. The method of claim 3, wherein the first address of the destination field of the header data is a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the Fiber Channel Forwarder.

19. The method of claim 4, wherein the first address of the source field of the header data is Fiber Channel mapping information.

20. The method of claim 5, wherein the first address is Fiber Channel mapping information.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a Fiber Channel Forwarder configured to program a bridge element of a plurality of bridge elements of a distributed virtual bridge to recognize address data corresponding to the Fiber Channel Forwarder, wherein the bridge element is configured to encapsulate and de-encapsulate data frame data, wherein the bridge element is coupled to an integrated switch router and a local rack interconnect network, wherein the integrated switch router facilitates routing and packet delivery to and from the local rack interconnect network, and wherein the local rack interconnect network includes point-to-point connections between the plurality of bridge elements; and

the bridge element configured to evaluate header data of a Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame at the bridge element to determine whether the header data is addressed to the Fiber Channel Forwarder, to evaluate the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame by evaluating whether the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame includes the address data corresponding to the Fiber Channel Forwarder from the programming by the Fiber Channel Forwarder, in response to determining that the header data is addressed to the Fiber Channel Forwarder, to modify the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame at the bridge element to give an appearance that the Fiber Channel Forwarder is sending the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to a target computing node, and to forward the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame from the bridge element to the target computing node without forwarding the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to the Fiber Channel Forwarder.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the bridge element is further configured to determine whether a destination identifier of the header data is included within the address data.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the modifying of the header data includes reassigning at least a part of a first address of a destination field of the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to a source address field of the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the modifying of the header data includes reassigning at least a part of a first address of a source field of the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to a destination address field of the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the modifying of the header data further includes combining the at least part of the first address with a destination identifier.

21. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first address of the destination field of the header data is a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the Fiber Channel Forwarder.

22. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first address of the source field of the header data is Fiber Channel mapping information.

23. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first address is Fiber Channel mapping information.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of server computers including a plurality of adapters located within the plurality of server computers or coupled to the plurality of server computers; and

a distributed virtual bridge comprising;

a Fiber Channel Forwarder configured to program at least one bridge element of a plurality of bridge elements to recognize address data corresponding to the Fiber Channel Forwarder, wherein the bridge element is configured to encapsulate and de-encapsulate data frame data;

the plurality of bridge elements coupled to the plurality of server computers via the plurality of adapters and coupled to an integrated switch router and a local rack interconnect network, wherein the integrated switch router facilitates routing and packet delivery to and from the local rack interconnect network, and wherein the local rack interconnect network includes point-to-point connections between the plurality of bridge elements; and

the at least one bridge element of the plurality of bridge elements configured to evaluate header data of a Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame at the at least one bridge element to determine whether the header data is addressed to the Fiber Channel Forwarder, to evaluate the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame by evaluating whether the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame includes the address data corresponding to the Fiber Channel Forwarder from the programming by the Fiber Channel Forwarder, in response to determining that the header data is addressed to the Fiber Channel Forwarder, to modify the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame at the at least one bridge element to give an appearance that the Fiber Channel Forwarder is sending the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to a target computing node, and to forward the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame from the at least one bridge element to the target computing node without forwarding the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to the Fiber Channel Forwarder.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein modifying the header data includes reassigning a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the Fiber Channel Forwarder of a destination field of the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to a source field of the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein modifying the header data includes:

reassigning Fiber Channel mapping information of a source field of the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to a destination address field of the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame, and

combining the Fiber Channel mapping information with a destination identifier.

15. A program product, comprising:

program code configured to be executed by a processor to;

evaluate header data of a Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame at a bridge element of a plurality of bridge elements of a distributed virtual bridge to determine whether the header data is addressed to a Fiber Channel Forwarder, including to evaluate the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame by evaluating whether the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame includes address data corresponding to the Fiber Channel Forwarder from the programming by the Fiber Channel Forwarder, wherein the Fiber Channel Forwarder is configured to program the bridge element to recognize the address data corresponding to the Fiber Channel Forwarder, wherein the bridge element is configured to encapsulate and de-encapsulate data frame data, wherein the bridge element is coupled to an integrated switch router and a local rack interconnect network, wherein the integrated switch router facilitates routing and packet delivery to and from the local rack interconnect network, and wherein the local rack interconnect network includes point-to-point connections between the plurality of bridge elements,

in response to determining that the header data is addressed to the Fiber Channel Forwarder, modify the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame at the bridge element to give an appearance that the Fiber Channel Forwarder is sending the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to a target computing node, and

forward the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame from the bridge element to the target computing node without forwarding the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to the Fiber Channel Forwarder; and

a computer readable non-transitory medium bearing the program code.

17. The program product of claim 15, wherein modifying the header data includes reassigning a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the Fiber Channel Forwarder of a destination field of the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to a source field of the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame.

25. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein modifying the header data includes:

reassigning Fiber Channel mapping information of a source field of the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame to a destination address field of the header data of the Fiber Channel over Ethernet data frame, and

combining the Fiber Channel mapping information with a destination identifier.